Improvement in overshot water-wheels



2She'ets Sheet1. S. L. ROSE.

0VERSHOT WATER-WHEEL. No, 192,286, Patented June 19,1877.

w A Q n I o 0 I ,8lHIlllllIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllll I NVENTORATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. L. ROSE.

OVERSHOT WATER-WHEEL. No. 192,286, Patented J'une19,1'877.

WITNESSES NV-ENTOR ATTORNEYS Urtrrnn mamas SAMUEL L. ROSE, OF ROSEGROVE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN OVERSHOT WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,286, dated June 19,1877 application filed June 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. ROSE, of Rose Grove, in the county ofHamilton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Water-Wheels, and in the use and application of power;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to water-wheels for driving machinery, such asmills, factories, 850., and using advantageously power upon such wheels,and taking off and applying such power to drive-wheels and gearing, anddescribed more particularly hereinafter.

Figure l is a perspective view of the wheel in combination. BB is anendless chain of buckets. Ais a pulley, over which B B works,

propelling A and E. G is a small pulley, un-

der which B B works. E is a drive-wheel on shaft of pulley A. X is apinion on shaft of spur or gear wheel F. F is a spur or gear wheelpropelled by E, acting on X. D D are buckets in B B. R is anarticulating-arm, receiving journal of pulley O. H is the tailracechute.

Fig. 2, D is a bucket detached from endless chain. a is its back. I) isa false back. 6 is a passage between back and false back, foroverflowing water; (I 12, links in endless chain; m m m, perforations toreceive rod f.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of bucket D. a is back of bucket. bisfalse back; 0, passage for overflowing water.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of tail-race chute. h h is the bottom. an are the verti cal sides.

Fig. 5 is the joint formed by links at d and rods f f. I

Fig. 6, Kis a bucket-head used as a link. L is a rear view of bucketsand the joint formed by bucket-heads K K, used as links with rod f. K KK is a section of; the endless chain of buckets where bucket-heads areused as links, with perforations m m for rod f.

This joint brings the buckets close together, saves loss of fall at thehead, prevents buckets tipping forward, and carries down a more solidcolumn of water, and effectually prevents all slopping or surging overof water.

The back a, false back b, and passage c are retained and used in thisbucket, substantially as when link disused.

I I I is a case surrounding the wheel, thrown open for view, andrepresents in suitable extension a case to inclose and protect wheelwhen in position within or outside a building.

The wheel consists of an endless chain of buckets, and power is receivedfrom water discharged into the buckets D D D in the descending column ofbuckets, which is communicated to pulley A by means of rods ff, passingthe whole length of buckets D D D, and which are also used in connectingthe buckets, thus forming the endless chain of The rods are to be longenough to project to and fall into the notches g g in the flange of theperiphery of pulley A, by which notches the rods and endless chain ofbuckets are prevented from sliding on the pulley. The links (or heads'ofbuckets used as links) should run within and a little below theperipheries of pulleys A and 0, which pulleys are chamfered on theirinner peripheries to guide the endless chain to its proper position onthose pulleys.

Power is given ofi to gear-wheels by means of drive-wheel E, working onthe pinion X (on shaftof gear or spur wheel F) by means of cogs orteeth, as shown in drawings.

said drive-wheel E upon pinion X on shaft of gear-wheel F, so that ifsaid pinion were held stationary the loaded portion of the endless chainof buckets would balance, or nearly balance, all the remainder of theendless chain of buckets and pulleys-A and O and wheel E.

By this location of said pinion X nearly all the weight of the loadedand empty portion of the endless chain of buckets (when loaded) and ofpulleys A and O and wheel E are borne by said pinion X and its journal,and friction of the bearings of the journal of pulley A is reduced bythe amount of relief from weight thus afiorded, while no more weight isthrown upon pinion H and itsjournal than is required to propel it. Bythis means the weight of the whole wheel is thrown upon pinion X when somuch force may be required to drive it.

For the full effect of this arrangement of location of the said pinion Xand drive-w heel E and connecting-wheels, similar drive, pinion, andgear wheels should be used at both ends of pulley A, for the purpose oftaking off power, as shown in front. Drive -wheel F, as shown, isperhaps too large proportionally for the size of pulley A, and, if it isso found in practice, may be reduced; and said pinion may, if required,be increased in size. It is not claimed that the drawings in all casesshow the exact proportions, but near enough to illustrate improvements.

Articulating-arms to receive the journals of pulley G are shown, and areused to allow the pulley O to accommodate itself to the somewhatirregular and constantlyvarying vertical shortening and elongation ofthe chain, or its hearing at the rods upon the periphery of pulley (J,as well as a more permanent contraction and expansion from changingtemperature, as well as from possible or probable wear.

Instead of these articulating-arms a slot may be used. in which suchjournal may play upward and downward, its weight being borne by thechain.

The tail-race chute H consists of a trough, closely fitting to thebuckets as to width and depth and in its bottom to their circular sweep,so that as the water is poured from the emptying and reversing bucketsit will be held above and behind such emptying and reversing buckets,and thus, by its weight and current, propelling the buckets so long asthey remain in and are passing through the tail-race chute, and untilthey rise from the water as a part of the column of ascending buckets.By this arrangement the entire fall is utilized.

The bucket D, as shown in Fig. 2, is of any desirable length, depth, andgeneral capacity. The back a is lower than the ends and front, so thatin starting Water may flow over and between back a and false back I),which serves as a guide and conductor to the overflowing water throughpassage 0 into succeeding or lower buckets in the column, until enoughare loaded to move the wheel, after which the buckets will severally beloaded from the spout 7c.

Pulley 0 should be as small as practicable in the diameter of its heads,so that they may receive upon their peripheries a proper hearing of rodsff, in order that the buckets in the endless chain of buckets may notbegin to reverse until as low as practicable, and then reverse and emptysuddenly.

The tail-race chute shown in Fig. 4 should be made to closely fit thebuckets in the horizontal bottom and vertical sides, and also in itscircular concavity closely conforming to the sweep ofthe buckets in thecurve of the endless chain around pulley O, by means of which theemptying and reversing buckets pass in close proximity to the bottom andsides of the chute, driven by the descending and flowing water emptiedfrom the buckets. The joint to connect buckets into endless chain isshown in the chain of buckets, and more in detail in Fig. 5. The formused where bucket-heads constitute links in the chain is shown Fig. 6.

The endless chain of buckets may extend above high-water elevation, andpower be taken ofiiu the attic, or at any given elevation above or belowthe point where water may be received upon the wheel. Power may be takenoff in the same manner as by pulley A and gearing, or in other usualmodes of gearin g.

Pulleys, drive-wheels, pinions, and other gear-wheels may be of any sizefound most desirable in practical use.

The spouts k k, as shown on drawing, are intended to illustrate themethod of receiving water upon the wheel or chain of buckets at anypractical or desired elevation.

I I I, as shown in the drawings, represents a case surrounding thewheel, thrown open to view.

A metallic or other water-tight case may surround the wheel in actualuse, protecting it from frost, and preventing dampness in the buildingwhere used, and around or into which heated air or steam may beconveyed, if found necessary on account of ice.

This wheel or endless chain of buckets may be used in an inclined troughor flame-spout as an inclined plane, which trough shall close- 1y fitthe buckets, so as to restrain and be propelled by the descending wateracting upon the buckets from the time received at the more elevatedportion of the endless chain of buckets until discharged at thetail-race chute, the ascending and empty portion of the bucketsreturning parallel, or nearly so, to the descending column, and allsupported, if necessary, by pulleys, beams, or travelers, within or uponthe deck of the trough or spout, or independent rails with pulleys forguiding and taking off and giving ofi power, similar to those shown indrawings.

' a natural or artificial wall and in front of a natural or artificialfall of water, and receiving its power from such natural or artificialwater-fall, properly regulated as to quantity by meters or gaged spouts,and giving off power so received from that portion of the shaftextending within the wall.

The inner surface of the peripheries of the heads of pulleys A and G areto be chamfered, as shown, so as to guide the endless chain of bucketsto its proper position on the pulleys.

Rods ff are to be held in position by keys, burrs, or other convenientmodel These rods may. be made of iron or any other metal found mosteconomical and serviceable for that purpose.

Thejoint L in Fig.6 is formed by the heads irregular and varied motionsof pulley 0, subof buckets D and rod f.

K is the head of the bucket. m m are perforations, through which rods ff pass. K K are the bucketheads, with the lower lug turned in and down,so as to form a smooth or plain joint on the outer surface whenconnected in the endless chain of buckets. This makes a strongconnection without the intervention of independent links, or bolts,rivets, or other means to fasten the bucket to an endless chain formedof independent links. This necessitates strength in the bucket-head,which may be either cast or wrought, and thicker and stronger in thepart requiring more strength, which may be provided for in the moldingand casting if cast, or in pressing or rollin g if wrought, or, if lightplate is used,

by folding to more than one thickness that part of the bucket-headrequiring most strength, or otherwise, as practice may suggest.

By the form of a bucket being as flat as practicable buckets may be moreshallow, brought nearer together, and receive their several supplies ofwater in close succession to each other, thereby saving head and fall,making a more solid column, and by slight vertical contact keepingupright until reversed.

Nater may be received from the tiume or source of supply by loweringinstead of raising the gate, and the conducting-spout (if one is neededand intervenes) may or not, as preferred, be attached to and sink withit or independent of it; or lower gates or spouts,

in succession, may be used, as the head of water may decline, by whichthe water may be used at all times from its highest head or source ofsupply to the wheel.

I claim as my inventionl. The bucket D, having back d lower than endsand front, and false back b, by which water flowing over the back a willbe guided and conducted by false back 1) into the bucket below,substantially as described and set forth.

2. The rodsff for connecting the links, or heads of buckets as links, inthe endless chain of buckets, having projecting ends engaging with thenotches upon pulley A for propelling said pulley, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth. 1

3. The buckets having the eyes m projecting back from the top and bottomof the heads of the buckets, in combination with the rods ff, passingthrough said eyes to form the chain, substantially as described, and forthe purposes set forth.

4. Thetail-race chute H, curved and inclined, as shown, closelyconfining the water to the lower end of the chain of buckets during itspassage around the lower pulley G,

substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

5. Articulating-arms R, to accommodate the stantially as described, andfor the purposes set forth.

6. The small pulley (l, in combination with and secured to vibratingarms, by which the endless chain of buckets is held vertical and steadyto and in the tail-race chute, and emptying-buckets suddenly reversed,as described, and for the purposes set forth.

7. The chamfered pulley U, in combination with chamfered pulley A,constructed as described, by means of which the endless chain of bucketsis guided and inclined to its proper position upon those pulleys, asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

8. In combination with the chain of buckets, the pulley A, wheels E andF, and pinion X, all so arranged by reason of the greater weight of thepower side of the chain that the friction is principally transferred topinion X, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

9. In combination with the chain of buckets, two or morepower-transmitting pulleys, A, with their trains of gearing, as shown,whereby the power may be taken from different points of the height ofthe chain without the use of vertical shafting, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination, with the flume, the gate opening downwardly, andhaving the discharge-spout attached to its upper part, whereby the wateris taken from its highest elevation, substantially as described, and forthe purposes set forth.

11. The application and use of the endless In testimony that I claim theforegoing as chain of buckets as a current-wheel, as demy own I affix mysignature in presence .of scribed, and for the purposes set forth. twowitnesses.

12. The wheel composed of the chain of buckets, constructed asdescribed, having but a single bearing upon the power transmitting shaftpassing through the wall of the building, said shaft having an interiorbearing within the building, as shown and described, and for thepurposes set forth.

SAMUEL 'L. ROSE.

Witnesses: a

GEO. W. BALLOCH.- GEo. S. BALLOGH.

